Find out how popular the first name Olsen has been for the last 35 years (from 1989 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Olsen by gender

Based on the last 35 years of data, Olsen is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Olsen being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 43 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Olsen.

The history of the first name Olsen

The name Olsen has its origins in the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Germanic peoples who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe during the Viking Age (8th to 11th centuries). It is derived from the Old Norse word "Óláfr," which means "ancestor's descendant" or "heir to an inheritance."

Óláfr was a common name among the Norse people, and it was often associated with royalty and nobility. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Olaf II Haraldsson, also known as Saint Olaf, who was the King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He played a significant role in introducing Christianity to Norway and is venerated as the patron saint of the country.

The name Olsen is a patronymic form of Óláfr, meaning "son of Olaf." In Old Norse culture, patronymic names were commonly used to indicate a person's lineage and ancestry. The "-sen" suffix is a contracted form of the Old Norse word "sonr," meaning "son."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Olsen can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók (Book of Settlements), a medieval text that chronicles the settlement of Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries. Several individuals with the name Olsen or variations of it are mentioned in this text.

Throughout history, there have been many notable individuals who bore the name Olsen or its variations. One such person was Ole Olsen, a Norwegian-American vaudeville performer who, along with his partner Chic Johnson, formed the famous comedy duo Olsen and Johnson. Ole Olsen was born in 1892 and passed away in 1963.

Another notable figure was Ole Evinrude, a Norwegian-American inventor who is credited with developing the first outboard motor for boats. He was born in 1877 and died in 1934.

In the literary world, Tillie Olsen was an American writer and feminist who gained recognition for her short story collections, including "Tell Me a Riddle" and "Silences." She was born in 1912 and passed away in 2007.

In the realm of sports, Ole Einar Bjørndalen is a Norwegian biathlete who is considered one of the greatest winter athletes of all time. He has won a total of 13 Olympic medals, including 8 gold medals, and numerous World Championships. Bjørndalen was born in 1974 and retired from competitive biathlon in 2018.

Finally, Ole Gunnar Solskjær is a Norwegian former professional football player and currently the manager of Premier League club Manchester United. As a player, he spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he scored the winning goal in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final. Solskjær was born in 1973 and is still active in his managerial career.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Olsen was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Olsen, please contact us.

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